“Jane the Virgin” is based on the Venezuelan telenovela of the same name, and does it ever live up to its roots. Outlandish, crazy storylines fly across the screen, from immaculate conceptions to love triangles to long-held family secrets — and all in the very first episode. Luckily, anchored by a lovable cast and smart, snappy writing, the show is elevated well beyond just scandalous twists and turns, making it one of the best new shows of the fall.

The premise is a hard one to wrap one’s mind around, making “Jane the Virgin” one of those shows that’s going to need that “trust me, just watch it” word of mouth. Jane (Gina Rodriguez), raised by a strict Catholic grandmother, has held on to the pledge to wait until marriage for sex, driving her lo...